Does it matter if your targeting is poor?

I am always receiving emails from people trying to sell me job related goods and services. I receive these at my work email and also on my personal email. I’m not surprised I get them, my email addresses are out there and can be found. What I am surprised about is the subject matter.

I am always receiving very poorly targeted emails. As a marketeer I always wonder what goes through these people’s heads when they are sending a Marketing Manager an email asking me to try out the latest version of SAGE accounting software, or if I want to negotiate a contract for utilities supply. I’m in marketing for goodness sake why on earth would this interest me.

When I received the previously mentioned one about accounting software it got me to thinking. How much does this poor targeting cost them and does it damage their reputation?

They have probably brought a list from somewhere. If this list has my name on it then it is highly likely there are other names on it that are not relevant. I wonder what percentage of the names they purchased are even remotely relevant. Then they have to send an email out to those people. Many email marketing service providers charge per email sent. This means not only are they buying names that are not relevant they are also paying to send an email to that person.

Now we can talk about damaged reputation. Does it now matter that I am hacked off with these companies? If their targeting is totally wrong then I will never be in the market for their products and services so should they care? What about if if it is a utility company and I am in the market for utilities at home? Will I be likely to remember them and avoid them? Truthfully – probably not.

As I type this I am trying to analyse my reaction and wonder why these emails annoy me. I think it just because it is poor marketing. I am passionate about my subject area and want to see it done well. When I see emails like this it just reminds that nowadays everybody thinks they are a marketeer and they think it is easy to get results. Well I have news for them. Results take careful research, careful planning and careful implementation.